It all fizzled, just went flat on a beautiful December afternoon in the Sun.

It began well, even though they trailed. But Georgia Tech was moving the football and its defense seemed in control. And, sure enough, by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Yellow Jackets were sitting atop a 24-10 lead ... all but assured the championship trophy of the 78th annual Hyundai Sun Bowl.

But then it all went flat, flat as a cheap pancake.

When it was all done, four quarters and an overtime exchange, the Yellow Jackets were walking slowly off the field, heads down to avert that big scoreboard that never lies: Utah 30, Georgia Tech 27.

It was Georgia Tech's seventh consecutive bowl loss, the fourth under fourth-year head coach Paul Johnson. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham called this game "a microcosm of our season" and it was almost certainly a microcosm of Georgia Tech's season, too. The Yellow Jackets got off to a 6-0 start, but finished 8-5.

"To be truthful, in the fourth quarter we couldn't block 'em," Johnson said. "We made mistakes, we didn't make plays, we missed three field goals. We still had chances. We had chances. We should have put the game away in the third quarter (when they were up 24-10). It hurts."

The Yellow Jackets also played this game with some significant injury problems. All-American guard Omoregie Uzzi did not play at all due to injury. Starting running back David Sims, the team's second leading rusher, did not play due to injury.

Advertisement

Julian Burnett, the junior inside linebacker, who had 44 more tackles than any other teammate, suffered what appeared to be a concussion with 9:30 left in the second quarter and did not return. Burnett already had six tackles.

Still, the chances were there.

Even after Utah tied this one at 24-all with 1:32 remaining in regulation, Yellow Jacket quarterback Tevin Washington led his team back down the field, getting them all the way to the Ute 31-yard line, setting up a 48-yard field-goal attempt for sophomore David Scully on the final play. It looked good, looked good ... sailed just wide right.

"We talked about it and we went with him (Scully) because he's got a stronger leg," Johnson said. "And he gets it up quicker. That was a concern; getting it up (so as not to get blocked). I thought he hit the ball good. Actually, I thought he had made it."

The Yellow Jackets had a chance to put more pressure on the Utes in overtime, but Washington was stopped on third-and-two. The Yellow Jackets led the nation in third-down conversion percentage.

"We just didn't finish, just like our year," said Washington, who ran for 96 yards and passed for 137 (completing 11-of-15). "We didn't do the little things. Right now, we're just hurtin.' "

It always hurts when it slips away, just fizzles on an afternoon in the Sun.

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has been charged with impersonating an officer by using sirens and flashing lights to skip to the head of the drive-thru line at a fast-food restaurant. Full Story